Sweet Child Of Mine
by Hakkai's Lady
Summary: Post Series. Mugen comes to visit his friends and ends up finding something horrible. Now it's up to him to care for the infant left behind in the tragedy while he is trying his best to get revenge.
1. Chapter 1

Don't own, don't sue.

This is my first Champloo fic, and I actually started working on it months ago, but life got in the way before I could post it. I can't promise fast updates on it, because I have several other WIPs right now, but this will be updated eventually.

Sweet Child of Mine

Chapter 1: Playing Daddy

There was so much blood. That was really all he could remember. Blood flowing like a river from their bodies. His own blood pooled with theirs as he fell to the ground beside them. He pleaded with God to let this all be a nightmare. This wasn't real, he told himself. He cradled his wife's head in his lap begging her to wake up. Reaching out, he held his daughters limp hand. A cry tore through him, and then like a miracle, another voice joined in. His son!

Rushing to the small cradle in the other room, a wave of relief flashed through him as his saw his son lying there unharmed. The baby waved his tiny arms and legs as though he knew something terrible had happened. Gathering the tiny bundle in his arms, he held his son tight to his chest, and began walking. He would not stop until he found a safe place for his child. After that, there would be hell to pay.

-

Mugen reached down and began his daily scratching routine as soon as he woke. The sun was already high in the sky, but he wasn't particularly in a hurry. Fuu and Jin would forgive him for being a day or two…or actually three late. He'd known them long enough that they didn't expect him to be on time anymore. In fact, they expected relatively little from the pirate. He showed up as he pleased, and rarely stayed long.

The path to their home was rather secluded. Jin was never the type to enjoy the busy city life. The guy actually enjoyed quiet…not that he'd get much of that with Fuu around. That woman never did know when to shut her damn mouth. She was annoying as hell, but he'd actually come to care about her now. She was like the kid sister he never wanted, and Jin….he guessed he could call Jin a brother. They weren't the kind of people you'd expect to see together, but they had a happy little life at the top of the hill.

Last time Mugen had come around, Fuu was fat with their second kid. The scary part was that she ate twice what she normally did, and cried constantly. Friend or not, Mugen wasn't hanging around for that shit. It had been about eight months since he'd been to see them. She'd have popped out the kid by now, so he considered it safe to go back. Hell, he'd even picked up something for his surrogate "niece." Ayami was a cute little brat. She had Jin's eyes and Fuu's big mouth. He wondered what the new one was going to look like. For Jin's sake, he hoped it was a boy. He didn't think the guy could handle another little girl braiding his hair and making him pretty--though Mugen thought it was funny as hell. Jin loved his daughter, but Mugen knew that Jin wanted a son to follow in his tight-assed Samurai ways.

About half way up the forest path, Mugen had a funny feeling. When a person lived a life like Mugen's, funny feelings meant a lot. He kept walking but cast suspicious glances out of the corners of his eyes. He didn't want whoever was following him to know that he was ready for them. He liked to see the surprise in the backstabbing son of a bitch's eyes when he gutted them. No one got the jump on Mugen. Whoever this fucker was, he was getting close. He would be making his move right about….NOW!

The kid about shit himself when Mugen's blade pressed up against his neck. He was maybe eleven years old, and not much of a threat. Mugen let the kid down harshly. "Just what the fuck do you think you're doing, punk?"

The boy's eyes were massive. "I….I…I wanted to see the ghost….I'm sorry."

Not this shit again, Mugen thought sheathing his blade. "Ghost my ass. My friend lives here and he's a hell of a lot scarier than any ghost. I wouldn't sneak around his house if I were you, kid."

"You mean the house at the top of the hill?"

Mugen had a bad feeling about this. "Yeah, what about it?"

Now, the kid looked more frightened than ever. Without another word, he turned on his heel and ran. Mugen would have followed, but something told him to go on to the house. Every step was torture. His hand never left his sword. For the first time in maybe his whole life, Mugen was honestly scared. He didn't want to know what he was going to find in that house.

From the outside, the place looked deserted. The windows had been boarded up, and the front door was caved in. He gently touched the wind chime hanging out front as he walked by. It was a gesture he had done so many times standing in this place. Deep in his gut, he knew that Fuu wasn't going to come running out when she heard it this time. Bad shit had happened here. The rooms were in ruins. The furniture was busted up. There were holes through the walls. Ayami's toys lay broken and discarded on the floor. What he saw next made his chest ache. Blood stains covered the floor in the back.

He felt numb as he walked out the back door. There just by the stream were two graves marked with stones. Only two. Mugen knelt down beside them. Fuu. Ayami. Rage burst through him and he let out an animalistic cry. "GOD DAMN YOU BASTARDS STRAIGHT TO HELL! I'LL FIND YOU! I'LL FIND YOU DAMN IT!" He didn't know who he was damning, but he'd soon find out. Grief was overwhelming to a man who had never honestly felt it before. He'd never cared about anyone enough to mourn them before, but now was different.

Two graves, he thought, where are Jin and the baby? They must have survived. Before he did any killing, he was going to have to find them. In parting, Mugen reached out and caressed the headstones one at a time. "I promise you, Fuu, I'll find them, and you know I make good on my promises. Ayami baby, don't you worry, I won't let them get away with what they did. "

If he'd scared the fuck out of the kid on the way up, it was a good thing no one saw him on the way down. There was no mistaking that look in his eyes. Mugen had never been exactly sane, but now he was truly crazy. Revenge was on his mind so strong he could taste it. His plan was simple. Find Jin, and then go killing. If Jin had already done that…well, then he'd find someway to get his licks in elsewhere.

The village wasn't far from their home. He made it there in less than an hour's walk. From what he learned from the little punk on the way up, it was no secret what had went down up there. Surely someone could tell him about it, and if no one would talk willingly, he had his ways. The villagers all stared at him as he walked by. A few even scurried off. He walked into the only inn in the place, and found the owner. The old man looked suspicious and a bit nervous, but he managed to keep his cool. "May I help you?"

"I dunno that yet. What can you tell me about the house at the top of the hill?" Mugen slapped down a few coins on the counter.

Pushing the coins away, he shook his head. "Young man, a tragedy happened up at that home. A swordsman and his wife lived up there. They had two young children--a girl about five or so, and a newborn son. About three months ago, a group of samurai came into the village. They claimed they were looking for someone who had wronged them. The whole village was in quite an uproar about them. They didn't say exactly who they were looking for, but they didn't seem to mind harassing everyone who crossed their path. That's when the swordsman stepped in. He never did raise his voice, but I swear I have never seen a man more intimidating than he was that day. He killed one of them before I even had time to blink, and warned the rest to move on. After that, the samurai left this village. Life went on peacefully for about a month. One night, the swordsman came down carrying his infant son. He was bleeding so badly that no one thought he would survive, but he would not allow anyone to tend his wounds. Last anyone saw of him, he was limping off into the forest like an injured animal. Some say he committed suicide and that his soul roams the woods stalking evil doers. Others say he lived, but that doesn't seem likely."

"Jin's alive," Mugen said quietly.

The innkeeper's eyes widened. "You knew him?"

"He was my friend," Mugen told him. He needed to know more. "How many samurai were there?"

"Eight, I think, but I could be wrong."

"Know anything else about them? Names? Where they came from?"

The old man shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I don't. Might I ask you something, young man?"

Mugen nodded. "Seems fair."

"Do you intend to take the child?"

Mugen was shocked. Somewhere along the line, he'd gotten so caught up in vengeance that he had forgotten about the kid. "I'm not good with kids. Where is he?"

"With my wife. We have cared for him since that night."

"Can I see him?"

Mugen followed the geezer to the small house behind the inn, and inside where an old woman sat singing to the child in her arms. His mouth went dry. This was Fuu and Jin's kid. Ayami's little brother. His "nephew." The innkeeper told his wife who Mugen was, and all the while, Mugen just started at the little bundle. "Would you like to hold him?" she asked.

As soon as he boy was in his arms, memories came flooding back. Mugen had come around just after Ayami was born. He had never thought much of the squealing little shit factories, but he had to admit that she was kind of adorable. Fuu had just finished feeding the baby, when she caught him staring. "Want to hold her?" she asked grinning.

"No, why would I?" Mugen scoffed. He'd die before he admitted that he did.

Fuu began to pout. "Oh, c'mon. You know you want to!"

"Do not. You may have gotten Jin to settle down, but I am not holding a baby."

"Whatever, you just are scared." Over all the time they'd known each other, Fuu had learned just how to bait him.

"Give her here," the pirate commanded roughly. He reached out to pick her up like he was reaching for a sack of rice.

"No, you have to be gentle with babies, Mugen. Like this," she instructed moving his arms to cradle her tiny head.

It felt kind of nice. Ayami was almost weightless in his arms. She was just so fragile. It was a little weird holding something that weak, but it kind of made him feel protective of her. Mugen would have never let anything happen to her if he could stop it.

Like a knife in the heart, Mugen was thrust back to reality. Ayami was dead, and so was Fuu. The couple was looking at him like he was crazy.

The little guy opened his eyes and stared up at Mugen as soon as he was moved. Already the kid had attitude. He didn't cry, just looked up at the man holding him. He seemed to be saying, "who the fuck are you?" Mugen had to smile. Then it dawned on him. "What's his name?"

The old woman frowned. "We don't know. No one really knew the swordsman and his family, and he didn't tell me when he gave the boy to me. I've been calling him Tsugiri….after my son."

Mugen looked at the boy thoughtfully. "Tsugiri, huh?'

"So you'll be taking him?" the old woman asked. Her eyes were full of hope.

"I can't take a kid."

The innkeeper stepped up looking crestfallen. "I'm afraid my wife and I are too old to raise him, and there is no one in the village to take him. The only place that will is the orphanage in the next town, but we have heard horrible things about the people there."

"I don't know nothing about babies," Mugen grumbled.

"You seemed to know something from the way you held him," the woman said with a note of optimism.

"Fuck, I'm telling you I don't know shit!" Mugen's yelling made little Tsugiri start screaming, and Mugen didn't know the first thing about getting him to shut up. "Hey. Hey, I'm sorry, dude. Shhhhhh. Let's be quiet now."

Within second's the innkeeper's wife took the boy from him and began bouncing him gently.

Guilt washed over Mugen. "Can I decide this tomorrow?"

The innkeeper nodded. "And you may stay here, if you wish. I can't say I knew Jin and Fuu well, but they seemed to be good people, and I wish to honor their memory. I hope you can find it in you to take him. I'd hate to think of a child in a place like that."

Mugen knew all too well what happened to kids in rough situations. The hell that he'd lived through had made him stronger, but it had probably fucked him up too. But who was to say the kid would have it easier with him? It wasn't like Mugen was a good guy. He could see Fuu's ghost having a shit-fit that he was taking care of her kid, but then again maybe not. Things were complicated.

That night, Mugen didn't sleep at all. He still couldn't believe they were dead. They were the only friends he'd ever had. Now, they were gone. No, he reminded himself, Jin is still alive. I know that fucker's too tough to die like this. Eight samurai may seem like a lot to some people, but Jin was the badest son of a bitches Mugen had ever met….besides himself. The two of them had taken on odds worse than that a hundred times and come out on top. These guys weren't just your average samurai. To take on Jin and win wasn't something that happened, especially not when Fuu and his children were on the line. No, these weren't punks. Something bigger happened here, Mugen was sure of it.

The sun was up before Mugen was ready for it. He'd heard the old woman and the kid get up a few times last night. She hadn't been lying when she said she was too old for this. But fuck, could he really just dump the kid in an orphanage? No, he couldn't. He may be a heartless bastard, but this was his friend's son. This boy was as close to blood as he had.

He found the old woman preparing breakfast in the kitchen. "I'll take him on one condition," Mugen said leaning on the door frame.

"And what is that?" she asked with fear in her eyes.

"Teach me how to handle a baby," Mugen said, silently swearing to himself. Never in his life did he think he would be playing Daddy.

Over the next few days, the old woman, Kayora taught him how to care for Tsugiri. All the while, Mugen kept wondering how something so small could be so much damn work. And talk about stink! The kid made enough toxic waste to drop an elephant.

"You'd better appreciate this, you little snot machine," Mugen said to the baby after changing a dirty diaper. The infant just smiled at him and made gurgling noise. He latched onto Mugen's fingers, and bit down. "OWWW! Maybe I should dump your ass off at an orphanage!" That didn't go over well with Tsugiri, who broke out into sobs. Mugen rolled his eyes, and put the boy on his shoulder. "Yeah, yeah. You know I wouldn't do that. Boy, are you going to owe me for this though. Someday you are definitely going to buy me a drink for this. Hell, you'd better even throw in a good hooker with that. When your older, I'll tell you all about the times your old man and I went to the brothels."

"Ahem, I hope his is MUCH older when you do that," Kayora scolded from the doorway.

"Geez, I didn't even know you were there! Ya mind not sneaking up on me," Mugen grumbled.

"You've got to be careful what you say. Babies might have little ears, but they use them quite well." Kayora sat down beside him, and touched Tsugiri's hair. "My husband tells me you will be leaving soon. Are you sure that's wise?"

"Can't stay around here forever," he said with a shrug. "I think I can make the next town over by nightfall. I know some people there, and I might be able to hitch a ride with a guy who owes me."

Kayora looked nervous. "And then what, Mugen?"

"Damned if I know. I'm going to find Jin somehow."

The old woman shook her head. "I saw Jin. I know there is no way that poor man survived. If the wounds didn't kill him, infection did."

"Listen, I'm sick of hearin' that. I know Jin. Jin wouldn't die…not yet anyway. I'm going to follow the corpses to him, and give him his kid back!" Mugen was through talking about it.

From the set of his jaw, Kayora knew there was no hope. "When were you going to leave?"

"Tomorrow at dawn." Mugen handed her Tsugiri. "Could you keep an eye on him for me? I want to go up to the house."

Along the way to the house, Mugen gathered what wild flowers he could find. He knew certain flowers meant certain things, but he didn't know what. That kind of thing had never interested him. Fuu would forgive him if he left the wrong kind. She'd forgiven him for worse. He also brought along the little doll he'd bought for Ayami. He offered these things to their graves as he sat down beside them.

"Well," he began, "I've got the kid. Wish I knew what his real name is, but Tsugiri will be safe with me. I know I'm probably not your first choice for babysitter, but you're just gonna have to deal. Jin's out there somewhere, and I'm gonna help him get revenge. Shit, this isn't what I pictured I'd see when I got here. I just never thought you'd be dead. Look, I know I should have said this a long time ago, but I love you. You guys are the only family I've ever had, and I'm not gonna forget that." He looked up at the sky, and told himself that his eyes weren't stinging. "You know, this is the second hopeless mission you've sent me on. I guess this is goodbye. If I can, I'll come back someday."

Mugen cast one last glance over his shoulder before going into the house. Saying goodbye hadn't been the only thing he'd come for. He had a good idea where she kept it. Opening the top drawer of the little desk in the bedroom, he shifted things around a bit until he found what he was looking for. Fuu's dagger. It was a girlie looking little thing, pink with all sorts of little charms hanging off of it. He shoved the knife in his waist band, and went into what had been the kids' room. Taking a small blanket, he filled it with a few things for Tsugiri and tied it. This was it. He was really going to do this.

Who would have thought Mugen would end up playing daddy?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Dead Man Walking

Jin slipped into the shadows as though he belonged there, and perhaps he did. The man ahead of him in the darkened path was staggering by now. He'd wasted the evening with whores and sake, as he did every night before going home to his wife. This was what he had been waiting for. Though his wounds had mostly healed in the past two months, his right arm was still not the same. His movement and strength had been greatly hindered, and he was not sure he could take on a trained samurai with only his left arm. This man would be the first only because he was decidedly the weakest. He had returned to the village after the night of the murder. His own stupidity would cost him.

Jin moved like a jungle cat as he leapt at his pray. The samurai didn't have time to move for his sword before Jin's blade sliced through his wrist. He screamed trying to stem the bleeding from the stump.

"Now," Jin said calmly as he laid the edge of his sword across the man's neck, "you are going to tell me what you know. Who sent you to find me and my family?"

"Oh, God! Fuck! I don't know what you're talking about!"

Jin sliced off his ear without batting an eye. "You will run out of body parts if you keep this up."

"I swear I don't know! I've done a lot of shit!"

"You mean to tell me that you don't remember ambushing me outside my home while the rest of your friends murdered my wife and daughter? That was not a smart answer." Shoving the blade to the hilt, he turned it inside the man's shoulder.

"I don't know who sent us," the man swore. "Hibiki was the one he talked to and I don't know where he went after the job! We were paid and then we split up! I think he went north!"

"Hm. That was a smart answer." Jin beheaded the bastard without regrets.

He left the corpse for the crows to find in the morning. The moon above him was full and bright. In the darkness, he resembled what he really was--a ghost. It had been nearly two months since he'd been a man. His pale skin was almost luminescent, and behind his glasses, his dark eyes glittered with pain. Jin had every intention of taking his revenge and then joining his wife and daughter. How they haunted him! Their spirits were never far from him. They came and went like the wind leaving only bittersweet memories behind. Tonight, it was Ayami who visited him.

Their garden had been in bloom in the spring. It was Jin's favorite place to meditate. Though he had all but given up fighting, it did not change who he really was. He kept his mind and body sharp. A smile tinged his lips, when he heard clumsy little footsteps coming toward him. Ayami knew better than to disturb him when he was meditating, but he secretly found her mischief amusing.

"Papa!" He opened his eyes when he heard the tears in her voice. Ayami stood there wiping her eyes. "I wanted to play with Momo, but she wouldn't wake up! Make her wake up, Papa!"

The samurai sighed and pulled his daughter to his lap. How did you explain death to a four year old? "Well, Ayami, I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because all things die when it is their time, Ayami. Momo lived a very long time for a squirrel, and now was her time to go away," he explained softly.

She laid her little head against his shoulder. "Will I die someday, Papa?"

"We will all die someday, Ayami, but that will not be for a very long time."

The answer seemed good enough for Ayami, and she dried her tears. "I love you, Papa."

The memory faded, but Ayami's ghost was still there. Jin watched her standing in the moonlight. Her bright yellow kimono was slightly dirty from playing outside, and her hair was falling out of the braids that Fuu had put in. In her hand was the doll that Jin had given her on her fifth--and last--birthday. Her eyes were large and watchful. He wondered if she saw the blood that covered him. He hoped not. Ayami should never see this kind of thing.

"My little girl," he called to her.

The ghost smiled at him and faded away. Perhaps, he had gone mad. He had tried to follow the spirits at first when he was still bleeding and fevered. Now, he merely watched them. They reminded him that he would be with them soon. He remembered the dead more than he did the living.

He followed the path to a small stream, and began to clean the blood off of himself. He'd spend tonight in the forest before heading north. He would find this Hibiki, and with him he would find answers. Jin was on a mission just as he had once before. This time he would walk alone.

In the morning, Jin watched the sunrise. The colors of orange and pink heralding the first signs of day over the horizon gave him no pleasure. A lifetime ago, Jin had watched this phenomenon with a sense of hope. He saw the way the early morning light touched Fuu's soft skin as she stirred. Her lashes fluttered, and she brought a hand to her eyes. "UUUHHH, too early," she murmured.

Jin caressed her cheek. "Go back to sleep then."

"Get in here with me," she whined lifting the blankets. Her naked body was an invitation Jin wouldn't pass up.

He slid in and pulled her to him. "Somehow, I was never lazy before I met you."

"Yeah, and you were boring before you met me," Fuu reminded him with a laugh. "It took me a long time to get that giant stick out of your butt."

Jin chuckled. "Hm."

"Oh, don't start that again!" She let her hand drift down his body until she found what she was looking for. Her soft little hands elicited all sorts of other sounds from the samurai.

When he could take no more, he rolled over and parted her thighs with his knee. "You certainly are a trouble maker, and I'm afraid this time you'll have to face the consequences," he told her in his most serious voice.

Fuu's laughter echoed through the forest. The sun was now well in the sky, and it was time for Jin to leave. For an instant, he was walking beside her again as he had on the road to Nagasaki. Her specter disappeared into the trees, and Jin was left alone. North was all he had to go on, but he remembered a journey that had started with less.

In two days walk, he had made it to a bustling fishing village along the shore. No one spoke to him as he walked through the streets. Even the vendors seemed to keep their distance. There was something unnerving about the bespectacled samurai. It was the way he carried himself. Everything about him seemed to say that he was a killer. Young men with swords at their sides eyed him carefully. Even though they were still reckless in their youth, none of them moved to take him on.

Jin found a teahouse, and took a seat without a word. The serving girl stared nervously at him, but soon found her courage. "What can I get for you, sir?"

He set a few of the coins he had taken from the dead man on the table. "Dumplings and tea."

"Right away," she said before disappearing through the curtain. But it wasn't the same waitress who came back with a tray.

"Geeze, Jin, did you really have to pick the busiest day to come visit me?" Fuu complained even as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

The samurai was too stunned to move or speak. He hadn't intended on finding Fuu in Edo. In fact, he hadn't intended on finding Fuu at all. After the trio had parted ways, Jin hadn't been all that sure it was wise to find Fuu again. He had been dangerously attached to the young girl for the latter portion of their trip. Fuu wasn't like Shino. She wasn't a mature, cool-headed woman. Her childlike innocence had been what drew Jin to her when he'd met her, but it had become all too threatening near the end. He had resigned himself never to see her again, but this was quite the surprise. "I'm merely passing through," he told her softly.

Fuu stretched confidently. "I knew you couldn't stay away anymore than that other bonehead could."

"You've seen Mugen?"

"Duh! He's kind of working for me right now, but that's a long story. So what have you been up to? It's been like forever almost since I saw you."

"Nearly three years," Jin amended. "I've been working as a body guard for most of the time."

"Sheesh, at least Mugen had better stories to tell. You got a place to stay while you're in town?" She asked with a smile.

Jin shook his head. "I'm not intending to stay long. The night maybe…"

"Well, you're staying with me." Fuu's smile faded a little. "Jin?"

"Hm?"

"I….I've missed you." Fuu's cheeks turned scarlet. "I mean I've been all alone with that jerk for almost two whole months!"

Jin said nothing to that. He'd never tell her how much he missed her too. At the time he'd almost convinced himself that he missed her only because he'd never had a true friend before. The fear he felt that day kept him from facing what he was really feeling. He'd wasted so much precious time.

Now staring at a plain-faced waitress, Jin fully admitted how much he missed her. With any luck, he would find this Hibiki and end this soon. He didn't plan on living longer than necessary. He was a dead man walking the earth only so that he could take his revenge.

Jin stayed in the teahouse for the better part of the afternoon. His aching limbs told him that the rain was coming soon, and he wasn't partial to traveling through a storm. The waitress filled his cup once more, and she seemed to be less frightened of him. "It's getting very dark out there. I hope you have a place to stay," she dared to say.

Shaking his head, the samurai watched the clouds rolling over the sky outside the window. "No."

The girl stared at her feet. "There is an inn in town. Shino-san runs it. Not many people come through here, and I'm sure she would have a room."

"Shino?" Jin asked thoughtfully.

"Do you know her?"

"Most likely not," he replied. "I thank you for telling about the inn." Jin left her an extra coin on the table, and set out to the inn.

The inn was set slightly apart from the rest of the buildings in town. By the time he made it there, the heavens had opened. From the distance, he could see the silhouette of a woman standing on the porch. She stood still as stone as he approached. When there were mere feet between them, she covered her mouth with her hand and began to weep. "Jin!"

"Hello, Shino."

Shino stepped back and lowered her head. "I thought that you had died. All this time, I had mourned you thinking that death was the only thing that would keep an honorable man like you from keeping your promise. Eleven years, Jin!"

"I never meant to hurt you," he told her lifelessly. For a time, Shino had been all that he desired—or at least what he had convinced himself he desired—but now he felt only a void staring at her.

She began to laugh. "Didn't you?" Suddenly, her hand flew across his cheek. Her laughter became shrieks of rage as she pounded her fists against his chest. Jin did nothing to stop her onslaught. Her final blow landed too close to barely healed wound on his arm, and he stepped back.

"I have nothing comforting to say to you, Shino," he told her honestly.

Shino pushed at the stray hair that fell into her eyes. "You've really changed."

Jin did not answer. He turned to go.

"Jin?"

He paused.

"You saved my life, and set me free. The least I can offer you is a room."

Jin nodded. "I thank you for you hospitality."


	3. Chapter 3

AN Updates on all of my fics have been and will probably remain slow. I have to keep RL before fics sorry. Thanks for reading

Chapter 3: Goodbye

Shino picked up the breakfast dishes feeling dead inside. The untouched plate across from her proved that Jin had left her once again. That morning, she had risen just before dawn with purpose. There was so much that she needed to know. Despite Jin's reluctance the night before, she couldn't help but believe that he would say something...anything. What a fool she'd been! The sun was high in the sky, and she refused to delude herself anymore. After washing the dishes, Shino stood outside the room he had slept in. It took all of her will to open the door, and she wasn't nearly prepared for what she saw.

Jin still laid on his pallet. His forehead was beaded with sweat and his skin was deathly pale. The samurai cracked his bleary eyes open, and reached a trembling hand toward her. "Fuu."

"Shhh," Shino soothed as she knelt by his side. "Everything is alright."

He shook his head. "My fault...so sorry...couldn't do it...my fault," he murmured deliriously.

A sinking feeling hit her stomach. Fuu. She remembered the name from her brief time with him. Shaking off the memory, Shino brushed soaking strands of hair from his face. "Hush. I am going to get some water. Rest for me."

Shino's knees were weak as she stood. Last night, hadn't he looked ill even then? Kami, what had happened to him? Jin was so very sick! As soon as she steadied herself, Shino ran down the hill to the village silently praying that the doctor was in. Her heart fluttered when she saw the old man. "Please," she cried. "Come quick."

The doctor's pace was slower than she'd like, but she was thankful when they made it to the inn. He sat by Jin's side, and opened a satchel of herbs and medicines. "How long has he been like this?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. I found him like this not too long ago," Shino replied nervously. "He didn't look well last night, but I never assumed..."

"Get some cool water and cloths, and then bring me a kettle of hot water," the doctor ordered.

Shino wasted no time in doing what she was told. By the time, she got back the doctor had stripped off Jin's tunic to reveal a skeletal chest scarred with angry red wounds. Unable to hold back, she let out a gasp. "Kami!"

The doctor turned to her sadly. "The water, woman!" he commanded.

"Yes," she said absently. Shino watched as the old man mixed powders into a noxious smelling brown brew. He gently lifted Jin's head and held the cup to his lips. Jin gagged and coughed as the liquid hit his throat.

"It's alright," Shino whispered. She wiped away the spittle from his chin.

The doctor shook his head gravely. "The infection is in his blood. There's nothing that I can do for him."

Shino closed her eyes and felt the world stop. Tears spilled from beneath her lashes. "Are you certain?"

"I doubt he will last the night. I am sorry. I will leave some herbs to ease his suffering, but there is nothing I can do. He must have been very strong to last this long." The doctor packed up his belongings.

"Thank you for coming. I will pay his expenses," she said emotionlessly. It still hadn't sunken in that this was reality. The man she had loved for over a decade was dying before her.

"I won't hear of it. You have been very kind to take this poor man in."

She walked the doctor to the door, and then returned to Jin's side. Holding a cool cloth to his forehead, Shino lost every ounce of her composure. Shino pressed her cheek to his shoulder, and broke down farther when she felt his hand wrap around. "Don't cry, Fuu. I can't stand it when you cry," he rasped.

"I won't cry," she promised. It didn't matter that another woman's name was on his lips. She loved him. Shino was starved for his compassion. "Do you love me?"

"I love you more than I ever knew I could." His voice resonated with a kind of devotion that she had never heard in their time together. Jin turned his fever-dimmed eyes to her. "Fuu, you are my life."

Shino broke the embrace. She began to mix another drink for him in hopes that it would grant him some relief. There was nothing more that she could do.

Some time during the night, Shino must have fallen into a dreamless sleep. His anguished cries shook her from the peace and back to reality. "FUU! AYAMI! FUU!" Shino did her best to hold him down and quiet him, but it was a wasted effort. In his sickened state, his samurai pride did not stop the tears and pain from showing as he screamed. "Ayami," he whispered. "Papa's here. Everything will be alright. Papa won't let them hurt you. Ayami, I promise I won't let them hurt you. Come back! Please, come back."

Finally, Jin laid back against his pillow and passed out. Shino's heart raced as she checked his breathing. He still lived, but she knew he would not last. This would be goodbye forever.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_"Papa! Papa! Papa!" Ayami cried as she ran down the hill. The flowers in her hands flew threw the air as she opened her arms to greet him._

_Jin grabbed onto his baby girl, and held tight. "Ayami!" He kissed her cheek. "I've missed you."_

_"I missed you bunches, Papa. I know Mommy missed you, too. She says that you are just visiting, and that you have to go away soon, and that I have to give you extra kisses to make you not feel sad." Ayami chattered. She pulled a daisy from her hair and stuck it behind his ear._

_"I'm not leaving," Jin told her sincerely. Didn't she realize that he had died? _

_Ayami giggled. "Silly Papa! You have to go back home."_

_"But..."  
_

_"Jin!" A voice called stilling his protests. Fuu stood near the brow of the hill with the sun caught in her hair and the wind in her pink kimono. "Geesh, it sure took you long enough to come visit!"_

_Jin set Ayami down, and pulled his wife into his arms. He breathed in the scent of her, and sent a pray of thanks to whatever Kami had granted this. His kiss was deep and desperate. The hole within him had been filled completely. "I love you," he whispered into her ear unwilling to let go._

_"I love you , too," she told him with a smile._

_The three settled on the side of the hill. With his wife tucked under his arm and his daughter snuggled into his lap, Jin knew that this had to be heaven. If this was going to be eternity, he looked forward to it. _

_"Jin," Fuu said seriously, "you can't stay here."_

_"Why not?" he demanded._

_"Cause you're not dead, dummy!"_

_"I'm not?" Jin asked puzzled._

_Fuu shook her head. "Nope. You've got a lot to do first."_

_Suddenly, the images of the men who had done this flashed into his mind. "I have to make them pay."_

_Fuu placed a hand on his cheek. "This isn't about revenge. It's about the future...our son's future."_

_"What? Our son is in good hands. I made sure he was safe before I did anything else." Jin felt the air leave him, and fear take its place._

_"Safe for how long? He's your son. Jin, they are going to find him. Do you honestly think they'd let him live? You've got to stop them!" she told him._

_"But who are they? What do they want?" _

_Fuu shook her head. "There are some things you are going to have to find out on your own."_

_Jin felt himself fading. "I don't want to leave you."_

_"Don't worry, Papa. We'll wait for you!" Ayami assured him "I love you!" She kissed his cheek._

_"I love you, too." He gave his daughter one last hug before she scampered over the brow of the hill. "I would have loved to have watched her grow up," he told Fuu._

_Fuu nodded. "Sometimes things are meant to happen a certain way. I was meant to love you, and I always will. In this life and the next. Ayami wasn't lying--we are going to be waiting for you. I'm not leaving you just yet. Think of it as goodbye for now."_

_"Goodbye for now," Jin repeated. "I have only one thing left without you. I hate this emptiness."_

_"I know what you mean, but remember that we have one more journey to make together." Fuu kissed him once again. "I'll see you when the time is right."_

_Jin tried to follow her over the hill, but his body wouldn't obey his commands. He was frozen in place as the mist took her. Darkness settled over him._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was near dawn when something miraculous happened. Shino placed her hand on Jin's brow and found that it had cooled. His breathing was deep and even. Shino pulled the blankets back from his chest to find that the marks were now a much lighter shade. Dark eyes cracked open, and locked on her.

"Jin, can you hear me?" she asked shakily, unsure she could bare to be called by that name again.

"Shino," he murmured.

A wave of relief washed over her. "How are you feeling?"

Jin made a feeble attempt to sit up. "Horrible."

"Thank God, you're alive!" she sighed. "You had me so scared! The doctor told me you were going to die."

Jin shook his head. "I'm not finished yet," he told her solemnly.

Over the next few days, Jin slowly regained his strength. He shocked the doctor by not only surviving, but by being able to walk a few steps not even a full week after his brush with death. Though he made great strides, Jin was still very weak. It was such an awful thing to see a mighty samurai fighting to remain on his feet. Although he never once complained, Shino could see the agony in his eyes, yet even that was overshadowed by a sort of burning determination. Jin would not give in to infirmity. Perhaps, he pushed too hard, but he would not back down. All the while, Shino cared for him and watched him silently. She never spoke of what she had heard that night, and he never did ask. Jin rarely spoke during his recovery. He thanked her for the meals she brought him, and offered his help with simple tasks. The questions that Shino had been so desperate to ask him not too long ago had been buried once more.

In time, Jin was well enough to begin training again. To rebuild the strength in his arm, he chopped enough wood to keep the inn warm for the entire year. Shino would often sit nearby and sew as he worked. She saw the swing of his ax slowly become more fluid and powerful. He gained weight over time as well. Jin's body was nearly healed. Now, it was time for the sword. This blade had set Shino free. She watched as it cut through the air with purpose and grace. Each stroke brought the time for his departure closer.

Almost two months had passed since Jin's arrival when the two sat in the garden one evening after dinner. Jin had taken the dishes away without being asked. Shino knew he did not take her hospitality lightly.

"I'll be going soon," he said as he sat back down.

Shino stared at her tea. "I was hoping that you'd stay, but I didn't expect it."

"There's something I must do," he told her.

She nodded. "So you keep saying. Jin, what happened to you? To Fuu and Ayami? I haven't asked, but I can't help feeling that you at least owe me some sort of explanation."

Jin was silent for a long time. "Fuu and I were married four years after our journey came to an end. Ironically, I was on my way to see you when I met her again. We had a daughter and a son. I had gone to the village for some supplies. It was almost dark, and I almost didn't see the four of them coming. I sent three of them to hell, but in the end...I wasn't strong enough to face them all. They left me there thinking I was dead. To be honest, I'm not sure why I didn't die that night. I managed to make it back to the house, but Fuu and Ayami were already dead. Their deaths weren't quick... they...I.." his voice broke.

"And your son?" Shino asked fighting the bile rising in her throat.

"He's alive. I took him somewhere safe, and now I have to make sure he stays safe. I won't fail again," he swore. Jin stood and looked away. "I am sorry for all of the trouble I've caused you."

Shino shook her head. "You saved me from a fate worse than death, and gave me back my self worth. I am repaying my debt, but that is not all. I..."

"Don't say it. Shino, I am sorry, but I can't return the feeling."

"I know," she agreed. "I understand, and I don't blame you for it. I know now why you didn't come for me."

Jin nodded. "I'll be leaving in the morning."

"I'll prepare some rations for your travels." Shino didn't dare look him in the eye for fear of crying.

Shino was once again awake by dawn. She made sure he had everything he would need tied up in a small pack. They said relatively little as he prepared to leave. The important things had been said the night before.

"So this is it," she said as she walked him to the gate.

"I'm afraid so. Thank you for you kindness," Jin told her with a slight bow. "I don't think that I'll return."

Shino looked away. "I didn't think that you would. Whatever happens, Jin, I just hope that your safe."

The samurai paused. "I will do what I must."

"Goodbye, Jin."

"Goodbye, Shino."

Shino watched him from the gate until his form disappeared over the horizon. When she was sure he was out of sight, she dropped to her knees and wept.


End file.
